Philippine Ayta people have the most Denisovan DNA, study finds

Date:
August 12, 2021
Source:
Cell Press
Summary:
Researchers have known from several lines of evidence that the
ancient hominins known as the Denisovans interbred with modern
humans in the distant past. Now researchers have discovered that
the Ayta Magbukon in the Philippines have the highest level of
Denisovan ancestry in the world. In fact, they carry considerably
more Denisovan DNA than the Papuan Highlanders, who were previously
known as the present-day population with the highest level of
Denisovan ancestry.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Researchers have known from several lines of evidence that the ancient
hominins known as the Denisovans interbred with modern humans in the
distant past. Now researchers reporting in the journal Current Biology
on August 12 have discovered that the Philippine Negrito ethnic group
known as the Ayta Magbukon have the highest level of Denisovan ancestry
in the world. In fact, they carry considerably more Denisovan DNA than
the Papuan Highlanders, who were previously known as the present-day
population with the highest level of Denisovan ancestry.


==========================================================================
"We made this observation despite the fact that Philippine Negritos
were recently admixed with East Asian-related groups -- who carry
little Denisovan ancestry, and which consequently diluted their levels
of Denisovan ancestry," said Maximilian Larena (@maxlarena) of Uppsala University. "If we account for and masked away the East Asian-related
ancestry in Philippine Negritos, their Denisovan ancestry can be up to 46 percent greater than that of Australians and Papuans." In the new study, Larena and colleagues, including Mattias Jakobsson, aimed to establish
the demographic history of the Philippines. Through a partnership between Uppsala University of Sweden and the National Commission for Culture
and the Arts of the Philippines (NCCA), aided by collaboration with
indigenous cultural communities, local universities, local government
units, non- governmental organizations, and/or regional offices of the
National Commission for Indigenous Peoples, they analyzed about 2.3
million genotypes from 118 ethnic groups of the Philippines including
diverse self-identified Negrito populations. The sample also included high-coverage genomes of AustraloPapuans and Ayta Magbukon Negritos.

The study shows that Ayta Magbukon possess the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world, consistent with an independent admixture event
into Negritos from Denisovans. Together with the recent discovery of
a small-bodied hominin, called Homo luzonensis, the data suggest that
there were multiple archaic species that inhabited the Philippines prior
to the arrival of modern humans, and that these archaic groups may have
been genetically related.

Altogether, the researchers say that the findings unveil a complex
intertwined history of modern and archaic humans in the Asia-Pacific
region, where distinct Islander Denisovan populations differentially
admixed with incoming Australasians across multiple locations and at
various points in time.

"This admixture led to variable levels of Denisovan ancestry in
the genomes of Philippine Negritos and Papuans," Jakobsson said. "In
Island Southeast Asia, Philippine Negritos later admixed with East Asian migrants who possess little Denisovan ancestry, which subsequently diluted their archaic ancestry. Some groups, though, such as the Ayta Magbukon, minimally admixed with the more recent incoming migrants. For this reason,
the Ayta Magbukon retained most of their inherited archaic tracts and
were left with the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world."
"By sequencing more genomes in the future, we will have better resolution
in addressing multiple questions, including how the inherited archaic
tracts influenced our biology and how it contributed to our adaptation
as a species," Larena said.

This work was supported by the Swedish Research Council and the Knut
and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Cell_Press. Note: Content may be
edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Maximilian Larena, James McKenna, Federico Sanchez-Quinto, Carolina
Bernhardsson, Carlo Ebeo, Rebecca Reyes, Ophelia Casel, Jin-Yuan
Huang, Kim Pullupul Hagada, Dennis Guilay, Jennelyn Reyes, Fatima
Pir Allian, Virgilio Mori, Lahaina Sue Azarcon, Alma Manera, Celito
Terando, Lucio Jamero, Gauden Sireg, Renefe Manginsay-Tremedal,
Maria Shiela Labos, Richard Dian Vilar, Acram Latiph, Rodelio
Linsahay Saway, Erwin Marte, Pablito Magbanua, Amor Morales,
Ismael Java, Rudy Reveche, Becky Barrios, Erlinda Burton, Jesus
Christopher Salon, Ma. Junaliah Tuazon Kels, Adrian Albano, Rose
Beatrix Cruz-Angeles, Edison Molanida, Lena Graneha"ll, Ma'rio
Vicente, Hanna Edlund, Jun-Hun Loo, Jean Trejaut, Simon Y.W. Ho,
Lawrence Reid, Kurt Lambeck, Helena Malmstro"m, Carina Schlebusch,
Phillip Endicott, Mattias Jakobsson. Philippine Ayta possess the
highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world. Current Biology,
2021; DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.07.022 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210812123052.htm

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